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Police: Pataskala teen shot 'best friend' while trying to distract him from video game

PATASKALA - A Pataskala teen faces one count of reckless homicide after police say he pointed a gun's laser at another teen's eyes to distract him from his video game, then pulled the trigger.

Around 12:45 a.m. Sunday, police and fire were called to the first block of Granville Street in Pataskala for a reported shooting.

Upon arrival, they found one male juvenile dead at the scene from a fatal shooting. Another male juvenile was taken into custody at the time.

A complaint filed in Licking County Juvenile Court on Monday charged 15-year-old Noah Bigham, of Pataskala, with one count of reckless homicide, a third-degree felony.

Bigham appeared in Licking County Juvenile Court on Monday for an arraignment before Magistrate Christopher Strefelt. Bigham will remain in the Multi-County Juvenile Detention Center in Lancaster, pending a safety assessment, and will return for a detention review and pretrial hearing in about 10 days.

Sam Shamansky, Bigham's attorney, said it is his understanding the shooting occurred at the home of the victim, in a bedroom. The two boys were life-long best friends, he said.

"The home, unfortunately, had complete access to handguns," Shamansky said. "It is my understanding the juveniles were able to have about unfettered access to firearms. This is what happens when you have firearms accessible. It's just awful. What we know for sure is it's unintentional."

Shamansky said Bigham should have access to counseling as soon as possible, and asked if he could be released to the custody of his parents.

"Ask yourself how you might be feeling if you witnessed your best friend get shot," Shamansky said. "One cannot imagine the impact that would have on anybody."

The complaint said while the victim was playing a video game on his computer, Bigham allegedly took a 9mm Smith and Wesson M&P with a built-in laser and pointed the gun in the victim's direction.

"Noah used the laser function of the gun to point the laser at H.C.'s eyes to distract H.C. from playing his game," the complaint stated. "Noah then pulled the trigger and the gun went off, hitting H.C. in the head."

During a brief interview Monday morning, Pataskala Police Detective Sgt. Gary Smith confirmed the basic details of the shooting, but didn't make any identifications regarding the victim or juvenile in custody.

Asked if the shooting could be characterized as accidental, Smith said: "We definitely can't acknowledge an accidental shooting. We're treating it as any shooting would be, at this point. In any investigation like this, you can't rule anything out."

On Monday, mental health professionals were expected to be on site at Watkins Memorial High and Middle Schools, according to a statement posted to Facebook by the schools' superintendent Kasey Perkins over the weekend.

"It is with great sadness that I inform you of the loss of a freshman at Watkins Memorial High School, through a tragic accident," the post said. "It is very difficult for all of us to process the death of a young person. It is sure to raise emotions, concerns and questions from our community especially our students."

In another Facebook post, a link was posted to an online donation site to those wishing to donate to the family of the shooting victim, "to help ease some of the burden and worry in the many long days ahead."